Legislation

Legislation refers to the process of creating, enacting, and enforcing laws. It is the responsibility of the legislative branch of government to create legislation, and it is the job of the executive branch to enforce it. The judiciary interprets legislation and may strike down laws that it finds to be unconstitutional.

The process of creating legislation begins with a proposal, or bill. Once a bill is introduced, it is debated by members of the legislature and may be amended before being voted on. If a bill passes both houses of the legislature, it goes to the executive for signing into law. The president may veto a bill, but this can be overridden by a two-thirds vote in both houses.

Once a law is enacted, it must be enforced by the executive branch. Federal agencies are responsible for carrying out the day-to-day enforcement of laws, while state and local authorities enforce laws within their jurisdictions. The judiciary plays a role in enforcement by interpreting laws and hearing cases that test their constitutionality.